740.00115A PW/6–2145: Airgram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)
A–434. American Interests—Japan. Legation’s Airgram 715 May 12, 1945. Request Swiss Foreign Office to inform Swiss Legation Tokyo for information of civilian internees Futatabi that the welfare and safety of American nationals in Japanese custody is of greatest concern to the United States Government and that this Government is most receptive to considering and employing all measures that might ensure greater protection for American prisoners of war and civilian internees in the Far East.
[Page 352]The United States Government is of the opinion, however, that the use of distinctive emblems on camp buildings would provide no greater protection for the inmates of camps in the Far East than that which should be ensured through full observance by the Japanese Government of the obligation assumed by it under Article 9 of the Geneva Prisoners of War Convention, which the Japanese Government has agreed to apply to civilian internees in so far as its terms are adaptable.
Request Swiss to continue to demand the removal of all camps whose locations are not in accordance with the requirements of Article 9 of the Geneva Convention and to continue to inform this Government urgently of all changes of camp locations and whether camp locations conform with the provisions of Article 9.